Kings' De'Aaron Fox says joining Klutch Sports isn't about forcing a trade: 'I love being here in Sacramento'

Fox says he wants to win a championship with the Kings, saying 'nothing would ever top that'

Sacramento Kings star De'Aaron Fox says his surprising mid-season change of representation to Klutch Sports is purely a business move and not about forcing a trade, in a new interview with Chris Haynes. 

"When you're an athlete who has any notoriety and you make a major change, it's going to circulate and people are going to speculate. But for me, I love being in Sacramento," Fox said. "This move had nothing to do with wanting to be traded or wanting to move on. This has more to do with myself and the business of basketball, and I feel like they're able to help me in ways that I've never been able to be helped before. It was really a level up."

Earlier this month, reports indicated that Fox was leaving Family First Sports Firm to join Klutch Sports, a move that was confirmed on Monday and celebrated by LeBron James. The Los Angeles Lakers star is the highest-profile Klutch client and long-time friend of the agency's founder, Rich Paul. 

Naturally, the rumors led to speculation about Fox's future, especially given the Kings' status as one of the league's laughing stocks. The franchise has the longest playoff drought of any team in the four major professional sports leagues in North America, with its last appearance coming in the 2005-06 season. 

Elite players have been a rare sight in Sacramento, and those who do show up usually don't stay long. Fox, though, has no plans of moving on any time soon. 

"I love being here in Sacramento," Fox said. "The fan interactions, it's kind of like being at Kentucky. No matter how good the other sports are, it's always going to be about basketball whenever you're in that city. If you're able to win here, I feel like it's just a different feeling. And obviously being able to stay with the team that drafted you, somewhere you're comfortable as far as life goes.

"Being in this city, in one place for a long time plays a major part in it. If I'm able to help this team go to the playoffs and hopefully win a championship at some point in my career, I feel like nothing would ever top that. Being able to say that you won a championship for the Sacramento Kings, like, that's unheard of, right? People would say that you're crazy.

"And if I was able to do that at any point, that would be the best thing ever in my career."

The Kings aren't championship contenders just yet, but Fox and Co. have started to turn things around. After a frustrating 0-4 start filled with narrow defeats, the Kings have won 10 of their last 14 games to climb into sixth place in a crowded Western Conference. They play extremely fast and boast the second-best offense in the league with an electric 116.0 offensive rating. With nearly a quarter of the season gone, it appears the Kings will, at the very least, be in the mix for a play-in spot.

Fox has played a leading role this season, averaging 25.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game, while shooting a career-high 53 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from 3-point land. Currently 14th in the league in scoring, Fox looks to be in line for the first All-Star appearance of his career. If he can help snap the Kings' playoff drought in the process, all of the concern about his new agent will be forgotten.